Birthday Suited
by LilyGhost
Summary: Birthdays may not be fun for everyone, but Ranger and Stephanie found a way to enjoy his. A Ranger POV story.


**Everybody and anything familiar belongs to Janet. The mistakes are mine. Steph's gift and card for Ranger, I saw online. Warnings for a little bedroom 'celebrating'.**

"Rise and shine, Birthday Boy," was spoken along the muscles of my stomach.

I was surprised that I'd finally managed to sleep deeply enough for her to be awake without waking me. Even my subconscious knows she's not a threat to anything except my control.

I slid my fingers into her hair. "If you look left from where your hand is resting, you'll see that the _rising_ part has already happened."

The mischievous glint in her eyes had me holding my breath as I waited to see what she'd do. She smiled against my obliques and then moved her head from my midsection down to where her fingers are now wrapped around me. She drew me into her mouth and stroked me with her tongue as she tightened her hand until I felt sweat bead on my forehead.

I didn't want my birthday to start without her enjoying it, too, so I clutched a handful of her curls and gently tugged. I'm surprised a 'pop' couldn't be heard when she released me. She stared openly at my dick with an extremely pleased expression on her face, which made me grow even harder.

" _There_ ," she said, "now you're shiny, too. So we got both the _rise_ and the _shine_ part right."

"You sound surprisingly happy for someone who's awake before noon."

"Who knew the right company could get me up and on him so early?"

"I believe the correct phrase is ' _up and at 'em'_ , Babe."

She moved faster than I expected and straddled me, taking me as deep as she possibly could. "That's an okay motto when it comes to work, but this is different and I doubt you'd complain about me getting on _you_."

A groan escaped when she purposely leaned down to kiss me, and the shift in her body squeezed me as she did.

"I'm not complaining about anything right now," was all I managed to get out, before she used considerable skill and energy to have me not thinking of _anything_ except how good her breasts feel in my hands, and how tight she is where she held onto me ... milking me dry.

If she hadn't made an appointment with her doctor for more thorough birth control, I'm convinced that from this encounter alone, we'd be parents to quadruplets by this time next year.

"Feeling this good," Steph said, stretching lazily along the length of me after giving us both a few moments to function almost normally again, "should be illegal ... or at least something taxed heavily."

" _You_ should be illegal."

"Well, if I'm trying to secure Batman for a boyfriend, I have to use everything at my disposal to get him to agree to be mine."

" _He_ was yours all along, you just had to reach out and take him."

"Like this?" She asked, shifting in my arms to wrap her hand around me so thinking became difficult once more.

"Yeah ..." I bit out, as she manipulated me into being painfully hard again.

"But not just in _this way_ ," she said.

"I understand that, and that's what makes this so much better."

I rolled her over onto her back so I can control things this time. If her satisfied sigh and then immediate breath-catch is anything to go by, I'd say she doesn't mind giving up the reins to me.

"It _is_ so ... much ... better," she moaned, her breathing becoming more ragged as I moved in and out of her.

"Thought you don't moan, Babe?" I said into her mouth, when she released another noise that sounded suspiciously like a moan.

"Only with you."

I know she's talking about more than just sex with me, so those three words affected me in a number of ways ... and all of which wanted to use my body to express that. So what should've been a long, lazy love-making session, turned fast and explosive. She didn't mind the change in my mind, and I was pleased to see and feel sweat covering her body that mixed with my own.

It should scare me how in tune we are with each other when it comes to what either needs, but I stopped questioning it and learned to just be grateful for it.

"Thank you," I said against her throat, where my head landed when I fell on her, completely spent.

"There's nothing you ever have to thank me for," she told me, using one hand to trace the muscles of my back, while the fingers on her other one combed through my hair.

"There is, Steph, but there will never be enough time to tell you even half of them."

Her arms hugged my shoulders securely when I went to move to beside her instead of staying on top of her. I've learned it's easier not to fight her unless it's a matter of her safety, so I just laid my head on the pillow beside hers and allowed the full-body hug to continue.

"That's a nice thing to say to me," she told me, after a couple beats of contemplation.

"It being 'nice' doesn't change the truth of it."

"Since you seem to have given this some thought," she said, turning from sexy to playful, "what are the top three?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"It's your birthday ... if you want to share, it's not like I can stop you."

I did move then so she'd be able to see my face and know by looking in my eyes that I'm serious.

"The top _'Thank You'_ is for loving me," I began. " _All_ of me, the good and the bad."

Her body went still, though she tried to keep her tone light. "That one is easy. I haven't found any part of you that isn't good, never mind something actually bad about you. You're an amazing guy."

"But I'm not an ideal one."

" _You_ might not think so, but I - along with probably every other female alive - think you're _the_ ideal man. Or maybe that's just because I know that you're the perfect man for me. This will shock you I know, but I make it really hard to love me sometimes. It takes a real Warrior to survive every minefield and emotional war zone I drag you through. I should be thanking _you_ for loving _me_ , not the other way around."

"Nothing in my life has been easier than loving you, Babe."

She laughed, but she remained introspective. "Your life hasn't been an easy one _at all_ , so I'm not sure that's as complimentary as it sounds."

I couldn't help it, I had to kiss her. "My life has had its share of bad moments, but they're what got me here," I told her, after I released her lips.

"And for that one, _I'm_ thankful. Are the next two going to be as heavy? Or is number three ... you'd thank me for giving you an excuse to have curly fries every week?"

"Since Shorty makes them only for you, those fries are always gone by the time I'd get to them," I pointed out.

"How does that saying go? You snooze, you lose your fries ..."

"You seem to be enjoying turning classic sayings into Stephanie-isms this morning."

She hugged me again, and stayed half-lying on my chest with her chin resting on it so she could maintain eye contact.

" _My_ take on things is way better. Now ... back to the other two."

"I would also thank you for defending me ... and for continuing to, no matter who the person is in relation to you."

She genuinely appeared puzzled. "Why would you thank me for _that_? That one is like breathing to me. Not to sound like a bumper sticker here, but this country's free because my Batman's pretty friggin' brave. Same with the guys. You all _should_ be defended since you've been defending us almost half of your lives, but that isn't why I tell everyone how great you are. It's because _you are_ an incredible person, and I still can't believe I'm lucky enough to have you loving me. You're sweet, caring, powerful, beyond intelligent, hot as hell, and I appreciate every inch of you ... inside and out."

"Looks like a simple offhand comment has quickly turned into a gift to me," I told her, losing my hand in her curls as I kissed her.

"I'm glad you feel that way, because I personally am so freakin' glad you were born, and I don't want there to be any doubt in your mind about that."

"There wasn't, but this morning brought that point home."

Her fingers started wandering again. " _This point_ you mean?" She asked, getting started on an impromptu handjob.

"Yes ... among two more," I answered, going for her nipples.

She kept me in her hand as she spoke through her desire. "If you tell me the last one, I'll do all the work so you can just lie back and enjoy it."

Speaking isn't what's on my mind, but I obliged. "Alright. Thank you for trusting me with everything: your safety, your body, and most importantly ... your heart and all of your emotions. Being your friend before being your lover, allowed me to see just how guarded you were and how hard you tried to keep your feelings to yourself, whether you felt love or terror. Letting me hold you while you cried, calling me for backup or for a security system when you were scared, and how easy it's become for you to say out loud that you love me, have told me more than anything else could just how much you love, need, and trust, me."

Her hand had gone still as I 'outed' her and how separate she'd kept herself from everyone in her life until I and my people came along and changed everything. I was still hard even though I'd distracted her so I flipped my body, taking her with me.

"I do love you that much," she admitted, as I slid into her once again, not getting enough of being this close to and with her, "and I trust you with everything inside me."

"That love and trust is returned in spades."

And I spent the next hour showing her that.

Our time together was interrupted mid-morning. The phone I'd left in my pants, which were still somewhere on the floor of Steph's bedroom, buzzed. I was tempted to ignore it, but having my life and career based on life and death situations, I don't have the luxury of ignoring anything. With Steph's eyes following me, I answered the call and had a brief conversation.

When I disconnected, I met her raised eyebrows. "That was Ella," I explained. "She wanted to tell me 'Happy Birthday' and remind me that she has a cake for me whenever I'm ready for it."

"Crap. I'm hogging you, aren't I? I'm sure Ella, Tank, and your family, want to see you today, too. I feel bad for not wanting to share you, but I really like having you all to myself."

"Believe me, Steph, I like being all yours as well. My family knows I'll be over for dinner tonight, which I was hoping you'd agree to be my date for."

"You want me at a family-thing?" She asked.

"Yes. I was going to bring it up to you sooner, but I didn't want to ruin what we've been able to start by scaring you off."

"You're a smart man to wait until I'm relaxed and happy. You _are_ a scary guy, but not to me. I'm nervous about this, but I'm going. I'd rather be nervous and clinging to you, than spend the night talking to Rex while wondering how your family chose to celebrate you. Isn't Ella the best for making you a cake even when you'll likely only have a small piece of it out of politeness?"

"When Ella asked, I told her to make whatever she felt was appropriate because you'd be with me to eat it."

"I guess I should've suggested Rangeman for a sleepover instead of coming here," she said, "that way there wouldn't be a poor, abandoned cake sitting in your apartment with _its_ birthday wish being for someone to give it some attention. I don't feel like moving from this spot next to you, but we probably should."

"I'd rather be here alone with you than anywhere else." I kissed her when she tipped her head up to look at me. "But if you're that worried about my cake's feelings, I can head over and get it for you."

"No, it's _your_ birthday," she said, making a move to slide out of bed. "I'll shoot over to your building and snag it, since it's the thought behind the cake that _you_ appreciate, and with me it's the baked good itself. You can stay here and relax while listening to the soothing sound of Rex running on his wheel. I'll throw on some clothes and be right back."

I grabbed her wrist before she could leave. "If it's _my_ day then I should be allowed to make the rules for it. And I'd 'relax' more knowing that you're lying here ... naked, hungry, and waiting for me."

If I can spend my birthday with Stephanie eating cake in bed and me having access to her bare skin and her _more delicious than cake_ body while she licks frosting off her lips, then I'm going to make it happen.

"So I get cake and you get me?"

"Yes. You're all I want anyway."

"Keep talking and you won't need birthday cake to make me a different kind of hungry."

"But I'm guaranteed to be pounced on by you if I'm nearby with a bakery box."

"Ella actually has to-go boxes for cake?"

"She puts a store warehouse to shame."

I slipped out from underneath the blanket and she grabbed it to cover her breasts as she moved to my side of her bed. She kissed my bare shoulder blade as I sat on the edge of it to locate the clothes she'd helped me discard last night. I turned back to grin at her and proceeded to kiss her mouth before, during, and after, getting dressed.

"Don't move," I gently ordered.

"I won't unless you take too long or the building catches fire."

"Funny. I'll be back with cake and more than likely a bottle of champagne since I'm not working today."

"Ella again?"

"Yes. She believes birthdays are special occasions."

"They usually are," she said, but she looked momentarily sad as she recalled her own.

"Maybe _ours_ aren't typically, Steph, but they will be this year."

"Oh yeah?" She said, the suspicious expression giving her blue eyes their spark back. "Why's that?"

"Because we'll be together for them, and not just for a quick present drop-off."

"So we have a date in October?"

"We're on a never-ending one, so October and also August and October of next year are already taken care of."

"That settles it. Sorry, Ella, but screw the cake," she said, reaching for me.

I moved out of her range. "No. If you get a healthy-sized slice in you, you'll be good until it's time to head to Newark."

"That's sadly true," she said, settling back down on my/her pillow. "What do I do while you're gone?"

"Picture me naked."

She closed her eyes and a large smile spread across her face. "Okay, I'm good. But still ... don't be gone long. Seeing you in your birthday suit is much better in person than just in my head."

"Mentally I'm already on my way back," I told her, doing a little picturing of my own of what her bed-coverings are currently covering up.

I took longer than I wanted to. I got a few good wishes from the men at the front desk, my parents and every sibling called to say they hope I have a good day and they'd all see me tonight. And once I finally managed to get off the phone with my brother who wanted to know everything about Stephanie, Tank cornered me on seven. Knowing me so well, his gift was to match the one I was giving someone else.

I'm paying for a prosthetic being specially designed for a man we both served with. Ninko needs both a left and right arm, but chose a left limb with a working hand instead of a right one just so he could wear his wedding ring again or have a similar one made for it if that was his only option. He threatened me with bodily harm if I did what I offered and footed the bill for both appendages, plus new rings for both he and his wife Shani as a symbol of this renewed commitment they've made to face everything together, but Tank found a way around Ninko's warning by using my birthday as an excuse to get our friend everything he needs.

To me, if birthdays have to be acknowledged, they shouldn't be about you ... the day should be spent celebrating those who make you want to remain alive. Which is why I'm picking up a far more elegant version of a standard grocery store cake. Ella was happy to see me and was touched that I'd made a special trip just for something from her. And Stephanie already loves me more for wanting to hand deliver a food staple to her.

Ella informed me that the cake is Steph's favorite, vanilla with white buttercream frosting covering it. And she'd made perfectly-formed blue flowers that are a similar color to Stephanie's eyes, with the same blue icing creating a large dot border around the bottom layer.

"Stephanie's going to be over here tomorrow over-thanking you," I told Ella.

"I'll be glad for her company. I know it makes you happy every time she is."

I didn't have to agree. Ella's picked up on the fact that as long as those I love are alright, I can't and won't complain. I can however complain about seeing a cop-sized parasite about to knock again on my woman's door when I got back to her building.

"Seriously, Morelli? A pizza?" I told him, appearing without 'the detective' sensing my approach. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Shut up, Manoso," Joe said. "Steph likes pizza."

"She also likes puppies, but that doesn't make her want to sleep with an asshole holding one."

"Fuck off. What the hell are you even doing here? Doesn't 'Batman' have an evil adversary to off today?"

"No. I've got a few seconds to counsel you."

"I don't have to take this shit from you."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," I said, pointing the cork-end of the champagne bottle at the pizza box in his hand.

Either he doesn't know today is my birthday ... or more likely, he had the date circled on his calendar and was hoping to get to Steph before she came to me. It's going to be fun when he realizes that we started celebrating _last night._ And she didn't have to go to my building to wish me a 'Happy Birthday', I stayed right where she could easily find me, in her bed and inside her more hours than not.

 _My_ Babe chose that moment to open the door in nothing except the black dress shirt I'd left here after our date last week. I had to leave quickly to apprehend someone we've been hunting who suddenly appeared on our radar, so I'd swapped out my dinner wear for the Rangeman gear I started leaving in her closet. If she wants to be here some of the time, she isn't going to be alone.

"Joe?" She said, crossing her arms in annoyance, which unfortunately brought my shirt higher on her beautiful legs and drew attention to the breasts I've been away from for too long already. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I stepped between them and subtly moved her back into the apartment under the guise of putting the cake and glass bottle on her counter, when really it was so I could protect her from him, both physically and emotionally. Plus, the door could be closed quickly once he understands he's no longer welcome here or allowed to fuck with Stephanie's life again.

I stayed in front of her, but curled my arm behind me so I could still hold her. Morelli isn't getting the pleasure of seeing _any_ part of her. He'd better fucking _listen_ to her, but he has to look at me while he's doing it.

"I brought you lunch ..." he started to say.

" _Why?_ " She asked him.

"Told you, Morelli. She isn't interested in anything you have to offer, which is a pathetic offering at best."

"Why _would_ I be interested?" She said, angling her head around my arm in order to glare at him. "We broke up, and I thought I made it _very clear_ that I don't want anything to do with you once I figured out that you seem to only be happy when you were yelling at me or calling me names. The light bulb lit up and I realized that I was nothing but catch-all for your anger, and I wasn't sticking around until I became a punching bag for it, too."

"Don't start that shit, Steph. I'm NOT my father. I _never_ hit you."

"Maybe you're not his clone, but I did start flinching every time you started to say something to - or about - me, so I have to wonder what that says."

"It says verbal abuse is still abuse, Babe, and _no one_ deserves it."

"Ranger has a point. And turns out, you and my mom were wrong. Someone _can_ love me, flaws and all ... and in a way that makes me love me, too." She pressed her face into my back, and through my shirt I felt her smile before she shifted her face towards the box I'd put on her counter. "And now I have some celebrating to do ... so goodbye."

I could see his personality switch flip from _manipulator_ to _aggressor_.

"This is a new low for you, Cupcake. The nut case bothered with you for longer than it takes to get you naked, and now you're tripping over the sheets to keep him happy so he won't take off again?"

He shut up because he couldn't talk around the fist I'd forcefully shoved into his mouth. "Her nakedness and sheets ... and my proximity to either one, are none of your fucking business. Take your pizza, asshole attitude, and unsubstantiated ego, and get the fuck out. If you don't ... I promise there will be a lot more pain and plenty of spilled blood. I hate to keep her waiting for any reason, but I have no problems disposing of you before I feed Steph her cake."

His hand was wiping away the blood from a split lip, and I was reassured that Steph wasn't feeling at all sympathetic towards him. She did however inspect and kiss my knuckles when my arm went around her again.

"First off, Ranger is not a nut case. He's the kind of man mothers are proud of and women dream about. You pretty much forgot I existed before and after we break up," she told him, "but you chose to show up here on Ranger's birthday to try and weasel your way back in between us ... and fuck me up mentally again in the process?"

" _Cupcake_..."

"Spare me the 'explanation' and that stupid nickname. Women like me deserve to be seen as an entire five-tier wedding cake, not a dinky little cupcake. Even if Ranger and I weren't together ... which we _are_ so you can go screw yourself there, I wouldn't be eating your pizza or voluntarily talking to you at all. Go annoy Terri or Joyce if _your boys_ are lonely, because _my man_ and I definitely aren't. We have a birthday to get back to ... so get out."

"Stephanie, for once be reasonable," he said, in a condescending tone.

That's all he managed to get out. I got his neck in a grip that left him without the ability to talk, let alone spew more shit.

"Say goodbye to the detective," I told her.

"Only if it's for the last time."

"Oh ... it _is_ the last time or he'll have a harassment/stalking charge against him, along with a not-so-painless badge removal ceremony if not an actual removal of it _surgically_."

I 'escorted' him through the door and into the hall before he fully regained his composure.

"Not only is Stephanie under Rangeman's protection, she'd the focus of mine. If you come near her again, I _will_ make a call and life as you know it will be over. If she's upset or I'm feeling especially cranky, your _actual life_ will be over."

I left him to think about that and closed and locked the door once I was back on the right side of it.

"I'm sorry about that," she started to say.

"You have _nothing_ to apologize for. He's a big boy, and he _should_ have to face the consequences of his big mouth and bad decisions. Him showing up here periodically to harass you when he thinks he can catch you alone, isn't happening. Even though he knows better than to cross me, you could start thinking about moving yourself, your things, and your furry, finger-biting roommate, over to my apartment."

She stared at me, trying to decide if it's testosterone or love having me want her in my building permanently.

"I'm giving everything thought these days, and I'll put that one at the top of the list. Even if you weren't here, I would've done the same thing you did, substituting my knee to his boys for whatever Jedi-nerve-trick you just did. Once it was clear he really was only nice to me when I was doing something he approved of, everything I'd ever heard him say or saw him do, started playing over and over again in my mind ... and I couldn't look at him the same way anymore. I've never been happier to admit I was wrong about someone. Not only did I realize I really don't want anything to do with him, as I was telling him everything _I_ thought was wrong with _him_ , I kept mentally checking off how many of the issues I have with him, that I never once had with you."

"Your turn to make a list. How am I a better man than Morelli is?" I said to her.

"I'll start with one of the biggies, I'd call you a real man, where he's still a tantrum throwing mama's boy. I don't mind if a son really loves his Mom and isn't afraid to show it if she's someone you can respect. I actually think that's sweet, like you and your Mom, but Angie Morelli and Grandma Bella let him get away with everything, which meant every female in a fifty-mile radius ended up paying for it. There are tons of differences between you, but I'll stick to the more personal ones. He insults me, you compliment me. He calls me stupid, you point out every case I've solved for you and the TPD. He tells me to shut up, you purposely ask me what's wrong, if I'm okay, or how my day was, and are interested when I finally answer. Morelli tells me to lay off the doughnuts, you go out of your way to bring me homemade Ella-cake even when it's your own birthday."

I went to say something, but she still wasn't through listing my attributes.

"And that's not even getting into how you always treat your friends and employees like they're family, and how you show respect for everyone you speak to, from children to criminals, unless your FTAs give you a reason why they don't deserve the consideration. That's the opposite of what Joe does. He judges and dismisses people, then he spends an hour telling you exactly what's wrong with them just so he can build up his own ego. Him being such a dickhead reminded me of what an amazing and special man you really are. And I honestly don't ever want to not have you with me ... which leads me to your card and birthday gift."

She paused in her present-retrieval mission to lift up the flap of the bakery box and peek in at the cake. She groaned in a way I'm _very_ familiar with. Then she opened the drawer that used to hold junk, which is another area of her life I've helped her see the difference between crap and essentials, and she pulled out a card and a small gift box.

"Happy Birthday, Batman," she said, handing me what she'd picked out.

I started with the card which read _... 'I met you. I liked you. I love you. I'm keeping you_.' Inside she'd written ... ' _I'm yours if you want me_. _Love, Your Babe._ '

That held far more meaning when I recalled that she'd told me back in July that she had already bought, signed, and wrapped, my birthday items which was before we were 'officially' dating.

"Like I told you in your bedroom an hour ago, _you_ are the only thing I've wanted as solely mine. There is no _IF_ here, Stephanie. We've always belonged to each other."

"You're sure? I wasn't kidding ... being with me isn't likely to be easy."

"You can be easy, difficult, pissed off, sappy, or vulnerable, and it won't change what I feel for you. It just adds another layer I get to explore."

"Okay ... now open your gift before I start making an idiot of myself for crying because you're so fucking sweet sometimes."

"I like keeping you off-balance," I said, starting to work on the wrapping paper.

"Which is why we wind up in bed most of the time," she said under her breath.

I paused in removing the last of the black paper with lyrics to the "Happy Birthday Song" scrawled in white all over it, so I could kiss her.

I unboxed what turned out to be a pocket knife that formed a wood and metal heart when the blade was folded. The 'weapon' is only the length of my thumb and it couldn't do much damage to the human body unless it hit an artery, but I doubt its ability to kill or not kill someone is why she chose it for me.

"Not only is it another way to defend yourself against a Stark Street a-hole," she explained, "it's also my way of saying your heart is safe with me."

"I never thought otherwise."

"That's just because you've always had more faith in me than I've had in myself," she said, winding her arms around my waist.

"And I was right to. Look at what we have now just from me doing that," I replied, nuzzling her hair with my nose.

She'd showered right before our date last night, and her hair still smells like marshmallows. The rest of her smells like me ... which is far sexier in my opinion.

"You're right again. Not only do I feel lighter emotionally - and in weight - and I have way more confidence in myself and what I have to offer you, we also have cake, each other, the rest of the day to ourselves, and then shared time with your family," she said, tightening her hold on me. "There really isn't any way of topping this birthday ... and it's not even _mine_."

"As I've told you in the past, Babe, what's mine will always be yours ... all you have to do is allow yourself to accept it."


End file.
